To The Other Side
by Panicked Karma
Summary: Never in her life did Mercedes Jones think she would ever be in this position. Here she was, a junior in high school and having to endure things no normal person should have to endure. How will she cope when a unrequited love comes into the equation? AU


**Disclaimer:** I do not own Glee, or its characters, although I do own any original character I decide to put in this.

*Icterine is a shade of yellow.

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><p><em>You, by the light,<em>

_Is the greatest find_

_In a world full of wrong,_

_You're the thing that's right._

_Finally made it through the lonely_

_To the other side._

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><p><strong>Chapter One<strong>

Taking in a shaky breath, Mercedes Jones stared up at the house that would now be her home for the next two years.

It was two stories, the wood a nice shade of cream – almost looking icterine* in the setting sun – while the trim was white. A porch that was as long as the width of the house was facing the front lawn that was nicely cut, a bed of flowers surrounding the porch except for where the sidewalk met the stairs that led up to the bronze wooden door. The windows glistened in the light of the sun and made the house look more inviting if possible. It looked too perfect to be owned by a thirty-eight year old man that lived by himself.

A small frown was set on her lips as she continued to stare at the house, her book bag on her back and duffle bag that hung from her right shoulder forgotten.

She was officially going to live here after months of speculation and worry.

After her mother had died from cancer a year ago, Mercedes had been staying at her aunt's house in Fayetteville, NC, while the custody battle was fought. It had taken months of fighting but her father had finally been able to receive full custody, something he had been fighting for since the day her mother passed.

A huge part of her missed her old home that she shared with her mother back in Georgia for two years, her school and friends dearly missed – especially now.

Hearing the closing of her dad's Chevy Suburban trunk door, Mercedes' chocolate eyes started watching the shadows of the trees on the driveway.

This was more difficult than she thought it'd be.

"Are you just going to stand there all day?" She heard her father say with a smile as he strode past her, box in hand.

Returning the smile, Mercedes followed her father inside, the last of her belongings in their hands. As they made their way upstairs to her room, butterflies filled her stomach.

Even after the divorce, her father and she had always been close. She was daddy's little girl and nothing would ever change that, not even divorce. It was stressful but she had tried the whole "back and forth" deal with her parents, seeing her father every other weekend and spending the summer at the apartment he rented when he and her mother separated.

It wasn't till after her mother's death that her father decided to buy this house – it most likely being a decision that he believed would help his case in the custody battle. Thinking back on it now, the lies her aunt spread about her father made her angry and she couldn't believe she had lived with that woman for a year.

"Well," Mr. Jones said as he opened the slightly ajar door with his back, still holding on to a box of her memories. "This is your room. Do you like it? I painted it purple 'cause I figured it'd make you more comfortable."

The sight of the full black comforter with a nature print on the bottom half of the fabric and matching pillow set made her chest feel warm. Her father always was a considerate one. Looking back, she never really understood what exactly happened between her parents that made them separate because both of them were two of the best people she had ever known.

Mercedes let her eyes wander around the room before saying gently, "Its perfect, Daddy."

She watched as he set the last box on her bed, quickly putting his hands on his hips as he looked around the room. "You can do whatever you want to it and you have your own bathroom right through that door," she heard him say as she set her book bag and duffle bag on the floor near her walk-in closet.

Turning around, Mercedes went over to hug her father, her arms encompassing his middle tightly. The feeling of his strong arms doing the same around her shoulders brought tears to her eyes and before she could stop them she was crying into her father's chest, hot tears trailing down her cheeks. Two seconds later both of them were sitting on her bed, simply holding each other as Mercedes continued to sob into his chest, dampening his blue collared shirt.

"I know, baby girl, I know." Rubbing his large hands up and down her back, Mr. Jones held back his own tears. He had to stay strong for his daughter because joining her in tears would most likely not help the situation.

Resting his head on top of hers, he continued to whisper, "It'll be okay, baby," until she was hiccupping for air, her crying slowing until she was simply teary eyed. "It was just her time. God wanted her with Him and you just have to remember that. She's in a better place and is with the angels."

"She was an angel wasn't she?" The diva asked as she sniffled, tilting her head up from her father's chest to look at his face. When he nodded and kissed her forehead, the feeling of abandonment she had felt after her mother's death disappeared for a split second and she felt incalculably better. She was still healing but with her father's love – instead of her aunt's hate – she had a feeling she'd heal quicker until she finally forgave God for taking away her strength, her mother.

Lifting himself from the bed, Mr. Jones let his thumb trail her chin before kissing her forehead. "I'll call when dinner's ready, till then just fix up your room like how I know you want to," he whispered, a smile on his gentle face.

"Thanks Daddy."

She watched as he left, closing her door silently before she looked around, butterflies once again filling her stomach.

Her bed was in the back corner of the room, next to her window that had a bench to sit on in front of it. The closet was right beside the bathroom on the wall opposite her while a desk and book case was to her right, the door to her bedroom right beside the dark wooded book case. It needed a lot of work before it would be up to her standards but she knew she'd be able to get it done before school started in a two weeks.

Opening the box that had been pushed further up the bed when they had sat down, she pulled out a photo that had been taken the last time she was in Lima, OH. She had just turned thirteen and her parent's divorce was becoming finalized. Most kids would be upset that their parents were separating but after the talk they had given her, she accepted it.

They had said that they still loved each other – and loved her just as much if not more than before they made the decision – but there was no spark in their romance any longer. Instead of trying to fix whatever was wrong that most likely would've ended up with them hating each other, they decided to leave while they were still happy.

Two months later, Mercedes and Ms. Mounier – her mother's maiden name – moved down to Georgia where the rest of her mother's family resided.

Looking at the photo, a sad smile was on her face as she remembered the party her friends from middle school had given her. She was hugging one of her best friend's by the name of Kurt Hummel in the photograph while Lucy, her other best friend, was behind them, giving them bunny ears.

She knew for a fact neither of them had moved so there was a possibility Kurt went to McKinley High, her future school, while Lucy probably went to Deer Field.

The brunette had gone to a separate middle school, having met Mercedes through a summer camp. They were partners for a three-legged race and had become instant friends.

_I wonder how much they've changed…_

Deciding to think over that later, she lay on her back and stared at the ceiling, the fan above her moving slowly, her eyes watching it lazily. "Two weeks until my life officially changes," she whispered. "Watch over me Mom, I'm going to need it."

Twenty something minutes later she heard her Dad call for her rather excitedly.

Dinner was comfortable, the two of them sitting at a small round dinner table while eating one of her favorite meals. Her father had always been a remarkable chef and the simple fettuccine chicken salad with garlic bread sticks was one of his best.

Since she hadn't seen him in a year, her aunt refusing to let them see each other until the custody hearing was over, they discussed all that they missed. They stayed in the dining room catching up for over an hour before Mercedes went back up to her room, wanting to start what would be a long process in terms of making it homey.

As she opened a nearby box and started putting books and picture frames in her book case, she let her mind drift, her lips mouthing the words to a song that was playing on her iPod dock.

Her father apparently owned a successful new dental clinic down the street, having opened only months prior. Thankful that her father didn't hide a single thing from her, she was still hesitant when it came to how he talked about his receptionist, Sandra.

It was obvious there were feelings there.

That night when she went to bed in her new sheets, she hoped the next two weeks would pass by quickly because even though she loved her father, she didn't think she'd be able to just have him as her only company for that long.

It was going to be the start of her junior year and she had no idea what was ahead of her but she knew that this was where she was meant to be. It was God's will and she had faith he would never let her down.

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><p><strong>AN: <strong>

Just letting ya'll know that if some of the things I say in terms of religion are a little off, it's because I, myself, am not really religious. Mercedes is Methodist so I'm going to do my best to keep everything right whenever religion comes up, which won't be a lot.

The title is from the song _Terrified_ by Katherine McPhee feat. Zachary Levi.

I hope you like it, I'll try to update soon. Reviews are appreciated!

**Panicked Karma**


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